Wedding Day!

So… the big day is here…

It’s the wedding day!

Wedding photography is a lot of fun, but it is also a lot of careful planning and some simple preparation. In order for me to capture your special day the best I can, I do have some very simple and easy steps for all my couples to help me out! This list also gives you a better idea of what I need for time to keep your wedding day running smoothly!

So here they are, a few considerations that you will definitely find helpful in your planning process. Sharing these with your planner + maids will help things run smoothly on the day .
❊ start time:  typically I like to start shooting two (2) hours prior to the ceremony, however this is entirely up to you and dependent upon how many hours coverage are included in your contract + whether or not you are having a “First Look” meeting. Three (3) hours prior to the ceremony is our preferred photography start time if you are planning a first look. First looks take approximately 15/20 minutes to set up + complete. I will arrive a bit early to capture the location before people show up and scout out locations for pictures.

❊ please gather the dress, accessories, shoes, rings + flowers together so we may shoot those first. Details are some of my favorite moments of the day to capture, there’s so much anticipation + excitement in the room.

❊ please ensure the bride’s dressing room is fairly uncluttered + all food/room-service removed prior to our arrival to start shooting.

❊ once we have arrived + commence I will be setting things up, moving things around and insuring that lighting is best, please share with bridesmaids that this is the most efficient way to get the job done + not any attempt to overtake their responsibilities. Interference from family/maids can really slow us down + limit potential portrait results. Our documentary coverage will capture all candid during the dressing process etc.

❊ hair/makeup:  if hair/make-up will be applied at the same site we will commence photography please make sure an accurate completion time is established so we have time for bridal photography. If make-up artists are prepping the entire wedding party please have them complete the bride FIRST so we may move along with your private portraits as they finalize the bridesmaids.

❊ I’d love if the groom could be 95% ready but leave small details for us to capture/set the mood ie. Tying their tie or securing cufflinks.

❊ Group formals:  we typically can complete all family group portraits within 20 minutes unless your family is extended and very large. We require an area that is private + not in view of guests arriving if your preference is to complete these before rather than after the ceremony. our wedding day questionnaire will request you provide group’s you require so we do not miss anyone on the day and please advise those in these groups prior to the wedding day at what time they will be required present for these group portraits! Also, for things to move seamlessly, please be sure everyone needed for family pictures is there at the designated location ON TIME as waiting for a stray aunt or cousin can slow things down significantly.

❊ couples portraits:  to ensure we capture the couples portraits consistent with what you have seen in our portfolio we request 20-30 minutes with the couple alone whenever you feel comfortable timing this, typically it is after the group portraits are completed. It is not necessary to have “hair/MUA accompany us in fact we prefer to work alone with you. any adjustments required will be performed in Photoshop to ensure we move swiftly + return you to your guests asap. (Also grooms lose interest if it becomes a fashion p/shoot + loses its private emotional element)

If your wedding is in winter and this timing is not possible you may want to consider a “first look” or “day after session” to allow us the time for these portraits. We really do our best to be as creative + quick as possible here + return you to your guests however any less than 20 minutes just doesn’t allow us the time to achieve what you hired us for

SO ABOUT FIRST LOOKS …….

More than any other question, I hear this one “Should we see each other before the ceremony?” So here are my thoughts given I often witness both options. Either way it’s your day we’ll work with whichever option you choose. First looks are a very practical way to minimize stress and maximize your investment on your big day! Below is a list of several reasons why this option allows for better photography.

 ❊   This option allows for the bride and groom to talk and have special time together before the ceremony and reception. It is a sacred, special time for the couple + it allows for more pictures to be taken of their intimate reactions.   Often the church restrictions won’t allow us close enough to capture the smile when you first see each other on the day.  Post-ceremony the bride and groom will have approximately 10 minutes of pictures of the two of them. If we take pictures pre-ceremony, the bride and groom will be photographed from 20-30 minutes resulting in a much larger selection of images to choose from.

❊ the wedding party and guests, can head straight to the reception following the ceremony. Weddings can be physically and emotionally exhausting and the last thing most people want to do after the ceremony is to take pictures. You will be able to enjoy your reception venue for a longer period of time and celebrate more! : )

❊ if the wedding is during the winter when the sun is setting around 5:00-5:30, taking pictures before an evening ceremony will allow for the bride and groom to be photographed in the daylight, which provides a wider range of images.

❊ On a wedding day, things unfold naturally and while there’s a bit of time for posing of the bride and groom, most of what I capture is photo journalistic in nature, candid + unposed pictures.

So if you are comfortable with seeing each other before the ceremony then I plan out a private “first look” meeting pre ceremony venue, where you will see each other for the first time on the day.

I select a position far enough away and capture your “first moments” from a distance so you really don’t feel like I am present at all. We proceed from there to capture your couple’s portraits and any other formal group portraits you may like.  If you would like to include a first look in your timeline let’s chat with your planner about locations and how to best schedule about a month prior to the wedding.

Whichever way you choose to go, I cannot wait for you big day and I look forward to working with you to create the wedding of your dreams!

~ Heather